ITEM |
AMOUNT |
SUBSTITUTION |
Allspice |
1 teaspoon |
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves |
Arrowroot, as thickener |
1 teaspoon |
1 tablespoon flour; or 1 teaspoon cornstarch |
Baking powder |
1 teaspoon |
1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar |
Baking soda |
1 teaspoon |
4 teaspoons baking powder; or 1 teaspoon potassium bicarbonate and 1/3 teaspoon salt. |
Bread crumbs |
1 cup |
1 cup cracker crumbs; or 1 cup matzo meal OR 1 cup ground oats |
Brown sugar |
1 cup |
Add 1 tablespoon of molasses plus granulated sugar to make 1 cup |
Butter, salted |
1 cup |
1 cup margarine; or 1 cup shortening plus 1/2 teaspoon salt; or 7/8 cup vegetable oil plus 1/2 teaspoon salt |
Butter, unsalted |
1 cup |
1 cup shortening OR 7/8 cup vegetable oil |
Buttermilk |
1 cup |
1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup; or 1 cup plain yogurt |
Chocolate, unsweetened |
1 ounce |
3 tablespoons cocoa plus 1 tablespoon unsaltedbutter (or shortening or vegetable oil) |
Cracker crumbs |
3/4 cup |
1 cup dry bread crumbs; or 1 tablespoon quick-cooking oats (for thickening) |
Cream, heavy |
1 cup |
3/4 cup milk plus 1/3 cup melted butter (this will not whip) |
Cream, light |
1 cup |
7/8 cup milk plus 3 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter |
Cream, sour |
1 cup |
7/8 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt plus 3 tablespoons melted, unsalted butter |
Cream, whipping |
1 cup |
2/3 cup well-chilled evaporated milk, whipped; or 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder whipped with 1 cup ice water |
Egg |
1 whole (3 tablespoons) |
2 yolks plus 1 tablespoon cold water; or 3 tablespoons vegetable oil plus 1 tablespoon water (for baking); or 3 tablespoons mayonainaise (for cakes); or 2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water, or 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute; or half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder |
Egg white |
1 white |
2 tablespoons meringue powder plus 3 tablespoons water, combined |
Flour, all-purpose |
1 cup |
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons cake flour (not advised for cookies or quick breads); or 1 cup self-rising flour (omit baking powder and salt from recipe).
Reader suggestion: 5/8 cup potato flour; or 1–1/4 cups rye flour or coarsely ground whole-grain flour; or 1 cup cornmeal |
Flour, cake |
1 cup |
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons sifted all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons cornstarch |
Flour, self-rising |
1 cup |
1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1–1/2 teaspoons baking powder plus 1/4 teaspoon salt |
Garlic |
1 small clove |
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder or instant minced garlic |
Herbs, dried |
1/2 to 1 teaspoon |
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, minced and packed |
Honey |
1 cup |
1–1/4 cups sugar plus 1/2 cup liquid called for in recipe (such as water or oil); or 1 cup pure maple syrup |
Ketchup |
1 cup |
1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup sugar plus 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon salt plus inch of ground cloves combined; or 1 cup chili sauce |
Lemon juice |
1 teaspoon |
1/2 teaspoon vinegar |
Lemon, juice and rind |
1 lemon |
3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice and 1 teaspoon dried grated rind |
Lemon rind, grated |
1 teaspoon |
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract |
Mayonnaise |
1 cup |
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt; or 1 cup cottage cheese (pureed) |
Milk, skim |
1 cup |
1/3 cup instant nonfat dry milk plus 3/4 cup water |
Milk, to sour |
1 cup |
1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to equal 1 cup. Stir and let stand 5 minutes. |
Milk, whole |
1 cup |
1/2 cup evaporated milk plus 1/2 cup water; or 3/4 cup 2 percent milk plus 1/4 cup half and half |
Molasses |
1 cup |
1 cup honey or dark corn syrup |
Mustard, dry |
1 teaspoon |
1 tablespoon prepared mustard less 1 teaspoon liquid from recipe |
Oat bran |
1 cup |
1 cup wheat bran or rice bran or wheat germ |
Oats, old-fashioned |
1 cup |
1 cup steel-cut Irish or Scotch oats |
Oil, for baking |
1/2 cup |
½ cup of applesauce (keeps baked goods moist, but with less fat) |
Onion, chopped |
1 small |
1 tablespoon instant minced onion; or 1 teaspoon onion powder; or 1/4 cup frozen chopped onion |
Quinoa |
1 cup |
1 cup millet or couscous (whole wheat cooks faster) or bulgur |
Sugar, dark brown |
1 cup |
1 cup light-brown sugar, packed; or 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 to 3 tablespoons molasses |
Sugar, granulated |
1 cup |
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar; or 1–3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (but makes baked goods less crisp); or 1 cup superfine sugar |
Sugar, light-brown |
1 cup |
1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 to 2 tablespoons molasses; or 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar plus 1/2 cup granulated sugar |
Sweetened condensed milk |
1 can (14 oz.) |
1 cup evaporated milk plus 1-1/4 cup granulated sugar. Combine and heat until sugar dissolves. |
Tomatoes, canned |
1 cup |
1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water; or 1–1/3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, simmered |
Tomato juice |
1 cup |
1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 1/2 cup water plus dash each salt and sugar; or 1/4 cup tomato paste plus 3/4 cup water plus salt and sugar, to taste |
Tomato ketchup |
1/2 cup |
1/2 cup tomato sauce plus 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves |
Tomato puree |
1 cup |
1/2 cup tomato paste plus 1/2 cup water |
Tomato soup |
1 can (10–3/4 oz.) |
1 cup tomato sauce plus 1/4 cup water |
Vanilla bean |
1-inch bean |
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or substitute bourbon, rum, or whiskey, using two times the amount of vanilla called for in the recipe. |
Vinegar |
1 teaspoon |
1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice, or 2 teaspoons white wine |
Vinegar, apple cider |
— |
malt, white-wine, or rice vinegar |
Vinegar, balsamic |
1 tablespoon |
1 tablespoon red- or white-wine vinegar plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar |
Vinegar, red-wine |
— |
white-wine, sherry, champagne, or balsamic vinegar. |
Vinegar, rice |
— |
apple-cider, champagne, or white-wine vinegar |
Vinegar, white wine |
— |
apple-cider, champagne, fruit (raspberry), rice, or red-wine vinegar |
Wine |
1 cup |
1 cup chicken or beef broth; or 1 cup fruit juice mixed with 2 teaspoons vinegar; or 1 cup water |
Yeast |
1 cake (3/5 oz.) |
1 package (1/4 ounce) or 1 scant tablespoon active dried yeast |
Yogurt, plain |
1 cup |
1 cup sour cream (thicker; less tart) or buttermilk (thinner; use in baking, dressings, sauces) |
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